Railroad-switch.



No. 755,495. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904- T. J. HOUGHTON.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1903.

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No. 755,495. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904. T. J. HOUGHTON. RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1903.

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Patented March 22, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS JOHN HOUGHTON, OF GRANITEVILLE, VERMONT.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,495, dated March 22, 1904..

Application filed September 28, 1903. Serial No. 174,936- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs JOHN HoUeH- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Graniteville, in the county of Washington and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in railroad-switches of that class known as threethrow switches.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch of this character which will be simple in construction, durable in use, eflicient in operation, and comparatively inexpensive of production.

With this and other objects in view the in-.

Vention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 are plan views showing my improved switch in its three different positions. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 4 4 and 5 5 of Figs. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 1O 1O denote the main-line rails, which as they approach the switch curve outwardly and form the outside rails 11 and 12 of the two turnouts or side tracks.

l0 denote the rails which form the continuation of the main-line rails and to the ends of which are pivoted, as at 13, the two outer switch-rails 14 and 15, the points 16 of said switch-rails being adapted tothe sides of the turnout rails 11 and 12. The inner side rails 11* and 12 of the two turnouts or sidings are fixed and have pivoted to their ends, as at 17, the two inner switch-rails 18 and 19, which are of slightly less length than the outer switchrails and have their points 20 adapted to the inner sides of said outer switch-rails 14 and 15, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The rails 11 11 make the right-hand turnout or siding and the rails 12 12 make the left-hand turnout.

The movable switchrails 14 and 19 are united by a series of tie-bars 21, so that they move together, and the movable switch-rails 15 and 18 are similarly connected by tie-bars 22. Coil-springs 23, having their ends connected to the two inner switch-rails 18 and 19, exert their energy to draw said rails together, and hence to force the outer switch-rails 14 and 15 apart and against the outer side rails 11 and 12 of the turnouts, owing to the manner in which the tie-rods 21 and 22 connect said inner and outer switch-rails.

In order to operate the pairs of switch-rails 14 19 and 15 18, they are provided adjacent to their points with depending apertured lugs or ears 23*, through which an operating-rod 24 is adapted to slide. Said rod is provided with two pairs of stops 25 25 and 26 26, which are adapted to contact with said dependinglugs 23 and move the switch-rails to which they are secured.

When the rod 24 is in its central position, as seen in Fig. 1, the springs 23 exert their energy to pull the two inner switch-rails 18 19 together and away from the outer switch-rails 14 15, which are forced apart and against the inner sides of the main-line rails 10 10, to thus hold the main line open. When said operating-rod 24 is moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 2, the stops 25 25 will engage the lugs 23 on the pair of switch-rails 14 19 and force them to the right in order to open the lefthand turnout, as seen in said figure. When the rod 24 is shifted to the extreme left, as shown in Fig. 3, the stops 26 26 will engage the lugs 23 on the pair of switch-rails 18 15 and force them to the left to open the righthand turnout or siding.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a railroad-switch, the combination of main-line rails 10, 10, 10, 10, side turnout rails 11, 11, 12, 12*, movable rails 14, 15 pivotally mounted at 13 at the ends of rails 10, 10, movable rails 18, 19 pivotally mounted at 17 at the ends of the rails 12, 11, tie-bars connecting movable rails 14 and 19, tie-bars connecting movable rails 18 and 15, spring 23 connecting movable rails 18 and 19 and acting to draw said rails together and to force the rails 14: and 15 apart depending apertured lugs upon said movable rails, an operating-rod slidably mounted in the apertures of said lugs, and stops upon said operating-rod adapted to engage said lugs to move said rails, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.THOMAS JOHN HOUGHTON. [L. 8.]

Witnesses:

FRANK COYLE,- A. C. DIOKEY. 

